1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to aircraft and, in particular, to aircraft cabins. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to allocating seating space within a cabin of an aircraft.
2. Background
An aircraft cabin may be the portion of an aircraft in which passengers may occupy during flight. An aircraft cabin may also be referred to just as a cabin or a passenger cabin.
Seats within an aircraft cabin may typically be arranged in rows and aisles. In these examples, seats may be chairs in an aircraft to accommodate passengers during flight.
An aircraft may have different sections in which seats may provide different amounts of width or space for a passenger. For example, in higher-class travel, more space may be provided for individual seats. Seats may have more width in a first-class portion of a cabin as opposed to an economy-class portion of a cabin. Further, the pitch or distance between rows of seats also may be adjusted.
Seats may include various amenities. For example, without limitation, seats may recline, include lumbar support, have adjustable headrests, include electronics, and have other suitable features. One particular feature of interest to many passengers may be the width of a seat. The width of a seat may change in different travel classes.
Currently, seats may be readjusted to change widths and/or pitch. These types of adjustments, however, may require time and may take an aircraft out of service. For example, to change from seats of one width to another width, the existing seats may be removed from the aircraft. Then, the new seats may be placed in the aircraft. In adjusting the pitch of an aircraft, entire seat rows may be adjusted during maintenance and service.
These kinds of adjustments, however, may take an aircraft out of service for some period of time to make adjustments. These types of adjustments also may reduce revenues of an aircraft.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a method and apparatus to adjust seating within a cabin that addresses at least some of the issues described above.